The
Mental Edge
One cannot deny one basic fact; you are as fit as
your mind and will. I have always known
that when I was down, it was because I was allowing myself to be down and when
I was happy it was because I was responding to something that made me
happy. It has always been easier to be happy than to be sad or
troubled. I think that’s true for all of us.
We have to
think very hard about what true happiness should mean because we have grown so
accustomed to a luxury based way of thinking that it has created an unrealistic
false lifestyle. But this is how we live and this is what we
know. The only world we can run to
for answers is our own mind. Even here we have lost sight of the power of this
complex organ. We need to master our state of mind.
In reality, whatever problems we experience, come from the state of the mind.
We each choose to respond to every situation in the manner we choose to.
This can be a negative or a positive response. If we were to respond to
difficult situations with a positive mindset, they would not be problems for
us, instead, we may even come to regard them as opportunities for growth and
development. Problems, on the other hand, arise when we respond to
situations or difficulties in a negative state of mind. Everything starts in
the mind. Everything ends in the mind. In the matter of health and fitness, this struggle is what I find separates those that succeed from those that withdraw. It is so easy to stay in the same ways we’ve known for so long. Open the bag, reach in, stuff it in your mouth, taste the snack, do it all over again. In fact, do it until you can’t eat any more. This is a mindset, a habit and an addiction and that’s why it’s so hard to break out of it and easy to stay in it.
How hard is it to change your lifestyle in the area of health and fitness? It has become one of the most, if not the most, challenging area to control in our lives. The choices we have been making year by year have added up to rising health issues.
Changing my eating and fitness habits is the most
challenging thing I have ever had to do. Because of that, it has made me
gain some of the most rewarding of all rewards I have received in my life.
I had many setbacks in my journey of getting fit in my middle age. It was
hard to get in the gym with all the other people who were more experienced and
looked better. It was hard to experience plateaus and have to fight with my
patience but I never let myself quit. That was the difference this time
from any other time I had tried to get fit but failed. I realized at this
time that my mind had grown and strengthened, significantly. I was able
to do the thing I wouldn’t have been able to do a year before. I did this
by deciding to change and by taking it step by step.
When we are unhappy with one facet of our life,
it usually spills onto other facets, creating a spiraling effect of unhappiness
and negativity. Sometimes things are out of our control, but the one
thing that is in our control is the power to change our health, our bodies and
most importantly, our mind.
How does one gain control of the mind. I
believe there is a time for each of us when this can happen. Some through their
ambition and drive and some like me when you hit rock bottom or someone else
inspires you. For me, it started when my damaged knee started showing
signs of arthritis and my so far healthy blood tests suddenly began to show
mild onset of high morning sugars. I could have lamented my fate, given up and
I would have withered quickly. This is when I decided to turn things
around. I decided to move forward; I said to myself this is it you either jump
into the bottomless pit or you begin to climb out of this hole.
"No one saves us but one ourselves. No can and no
one may. We ourselves must walk the path." – Buddha
My body, health and mind strengthened slowly but surely.
The first thing I did was start to get stubborn. I said I
will not set long term goals or aim for perfection I will only aim for
progress. Next thing was to develop an attitude that began to challenge anybody
who said I cannot do it. As the Nike ad says “Just do it”
The worst that could happen was
that I would fail. As the famous saying goes you miss every shot which you did
not try. One can only learn from one’s mistakes. One of the attitudes I find in
all happy people is that they have understood that a life/time spent in
negative emotion is life lost. I would rather live healthy and happy than die
sick and old. Once you realize this strength comes from the mind becoming
indomitable. An indomitable mind and will can drive you to physical exertion
and build great strength and endurance. Energy and persistence will prevail
finally.
It is this sort of conditioning
of the mind that can drive one to happiness and fitness.
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